An Australian mining syndicate has just discovered a ‘high grade’ nickel deposit in Dangoma, (a small farming community) Kaduna State.

This was confirmed by the authorities at the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development on Monday, August 29, who said it is true that the element has been discovered but no comprehensive report would be release until Tuesday, which is today.

Meanwhile, the Australian national news daily reported that the private mining syndicate that made the discovery was led by Hugh Morgan, a mining industry veteran who said the discovery is unusual because the element is found in small balls up to 3mm in diameter of a high purity in shallow soils in what could be the surface expression of a much bigger hard-rock nickel field.

The chemical element was also rumoured to grade better than 90 per cent nickel and thought to be a world first given their widespread distribution, and thus offer the potential for early cash flow.

What is A Nickel?

The name Nickel (symbolized by Ni) originated from Germany in the 17th century. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge; hard and ductile thus, can be deformed or moulded into thin wires. A pure form of Ni can be found in Earth’s crust only in tiny amounts, usually in ultramafic rocks.

Uses: Due to it’s none corrosive properties, nickel is used for stainless steel production; widely used in coating of coins; used for plating iron and brass, coating chemistry equipment, and manufacturing certain alloys that retain a high silvery polish, such as German silver and among other uses.

With this new development, Nigeria is about to join the few countries of the world where Ni is produced including Philippines, Indonesia, Russia, Canada and Australia – which are the world’s largest producers of nickel.

Analysis conducted by major stakeholders in the solid mineral sector, the Association of Metal Exporters of Nigeria, indicates that Nigeria can generate at least N5 trillion annually from mining and exporting of its vast solid mineral deposits, with several multiplier effects on job creation, state development and social infrastructure that could position the solid minerals sector as the main catalyst for national development.